​Shane Dorwin Sergeant (Ret.) US Army

​Shane was born in western Michigan in the fall of 1966. He grew up hunting and fishing all across western and northern Michigan, it was his way of life, and something he has enjoyed all of his life. Shane joined the Army in 1984 under the split option program, which allows individuals to attend Basic Training during one summer, then attend Advanced Individual Training the next.

He was first stationed in Germany, where he was a communications specialist, serving under the 3rd Infantry Division (ID) as a grunt and combat signalman, carrying a normal load plus radio equipment. His main missions where monitoring Soviet Military Liaison Mission (SMLM) vehicles and border patrol, also at times working as a Director Installation Commander (DIC) Reactionary Force.

As the wall was coming down in Berlin, Shane was taken out of the field and sent back stateside to Fort Hood, Texas, where he worked in a signal brigade until he was sent to Panama, and then eventually back to Fort Hood. Shane reenlisted to become a Combat Medic, in the 5th ID in Fort Polk, Louisiana.

Shane served during the first Gulf War. He was injured during this tour. Upon returning from Desert Storm, he was tired, and broken, and even though they didn’t know what to call it, he was suffering from Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). It took him years to function in a semi-normal capacity.

In spite of his injuries, Shane chose to return to serve his country in 2006 through the reserves.He rejoined the Army in 2006 as a Combat Medic, and returned to active duty in 2008. He was deployed to Iraq in 2009, serving as an Licensed Practicing Nurse (LPN,) providing care to wounded Soldiers during his tour.

He served at Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Bethesda, Fort Hood, TX, and in Iraq, where he struggled with his personal demons. Shane then went to Joint Base Lewis McChord, in Fort Lewis, Washington, where he served both on the hospital wards, and as a clinic Non-commissioned Officer in Charge (NCOIC) for the Sports Medicine SPARTA Clinic, specializing in Tactical Rehabilitation, and training for the Special Forces medics and doctors.

Shane loves to give back to the wounded veteran community. He was medically retired in December 2014 due to a back injury and PTSD, at which time he moved to Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where he bought a home. Shane says, “I plan on living here until the good Lord brings me home.”